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I could be getting like Victor Meldrew
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Last year we travelled through the Panama Canal with some friends from Antigua on the Star Flyer. Afterwards we spent a few days in Panama before flying to Antigua for a week before returning home.
The voyage on Star Flyer was great and we enjoyed our stay in Panama, it was only when we came to fly to Antigua that our problems began.
Our flight was Panama City to Miami, Miami to Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico to Antigua. First American Airlines decided that our luggage was overweight one bag at 24.5 Kg and the other at 23.8 Kg and proceeded to charge us 50$ U.S. for each bag although on our ticket it said overweight would be charged 25$ US per bag; not wanting to make afuss we paid up.
On arrival at Miami the Passport Control and Immigration took for ever, so long that we missed our connecting flight. The people manning the desks, Dept of Homeland Security seemed to enjoy making things as difficult as possible. I was getting realy fed up.
We were only transiting through Miami but we got special treatment, yes my Wife and I were pulled out of the queue for special treatment as if we were a couple of old aged terrorists, this took more time and I was glad to get out of the place.
The attack on the Twin Towers on September 11th was a horrible thing that you would not wish on your worst enemy, but the USA is not the only country that has suffered Terrorist attacks. For years in Britain we suffered terrorism from the IRA, a lot of it funded from the USA, but we do not treat visitors to our country in the manner that the Americans do. I have been to Cuba and Russia, even visited Czechoslovakia by car in 1970 and nowhere was I treated as badly as in the U.S.
What is the point of this; last week I had a telephone call to say that we had won a Cruise from Fort Lauderdale. I told them No Thank You!
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When we decided to cease organising our Touring Holidays, I thought that it would be a shame to lose all the information and tips that I had picked up over the years; so I decided to write a book which would be of use to both two, three and four wheeled people wanting to do a touring holiday in Europe.
After sending the first two chapters to publishers, they were returned because A: there is no market for books on Touring and B:I did not concentrate enough on the people who were on motorcycles.
I disagree and so I am going to put the chapters onto this web site at intervals as I finish them.
The Introduction is already available. Click onto Articles. Touring Tips for Europe.
Chapter 1, Do's and Don'ts is now also available
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In April this year we flew out to Barbados for a weeks holiday before joining the Star Clipper to cross the Atlantic Eastwards to Malaga in Spain.
The holiday in Barbados staying at the Barbados Beach Club was great value though the organisation of Virgin Holidays leaves a lot to be desired. Our holiday Itinery showed one time for our flight from Manchester while the ticket had a completely different one, we contacted Virgin about this but got no sensible answer so we wont be using them again.
The crossing was great, our Captain was Sergey Utitsyn who is a real sail man (ex Kreuzenshtern) and we sailed 25% of the time. It was real fun being back on the Royal and meeting up again with so many friends among the crew.
Our flight back to Manchester was uneventful but in the evening Renate complained of a slight headache. The next morning when I came dowstairs for breakfast she was lying on the kitchen fllo having suffered a stroke.
It was quite serious as she had lost all the use of her left side and her speach was slurred. An Ambulance arrived very quickly and after spending only 1 day in Glan Clwyd Hospital a bed was vacent in the Specialist Stroke Rehab Unit at St Asaph, so she was moved there.
The treatment at St. Asaph was brilliant and the staff great, even though they are working under the threat that the Unit is to be closed and moved into Glan Clwyd Hospital. This may be the correct move for the bean counters at the health trust, but for any normal person looking at the broader picture this is lunacy that will, in the long run lead to either a decine in service to the patient or an increase in costs.
Renate has been lucky that the Unit had a spare bed, and she is now making a slow recovery but it will deffinatly mean a change of lifestyle for a couple of years. No more motorcycling holidays, we will have to use the car. And it will be a while before we fly again.
It could have been a lot worse, she can get about with a stick or in her wheel chair and she is 100% there in her mind.
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Now that we have more leisure time, Renate and I sometimes watch these T.V.programmes about buying property abroad, which is where we first saw Krakow and were interested in visiting the city. Shortly after this there was an offer of a 3 day trip in our local free paper; we wanted longer to look round at our own pace and our local travel agent sorted us a package that was only slightly more expensive than the 3 day trip.
We flew out midweek from Liverpool with Easy Jet direct to Krakow. On clearing Customs and Passport Control we soon found a Taxi to our Hotel, The Qubus Hotel, which cost about £11. The Hotel which is a 4 Star, is situated a little out of the town centre was on the banks of the Vistula River. There is easy access to Taxi's or Bus and Tram stops; a new shopping mall is only a few minutes walk on the other bank of the river. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay finding the local people very friendly and helpfull, and English could be used in most places.
For more details of places to see etc. look out for a Review
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Dangerous Crash Barriers.
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In North Wales, where we are, and in many other parts of the U.K. instead of Armco Crash Barriers, steel hawsers are being used. These may be good for cars or lorries, but are lethal to motorcyclists or people thrown from a vehicle. The contact area could be almost 150% smaller than hitting conventional armco, leading to loss of limbs or even decapitation. Motorcyclists are only considered as statistics and we are obviously expendable.
If you agree that no more of the wire barriers should be installed and existing ones replaced, please sign the petition on the !0 Downing Street Web Site.
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Sailing Lessons in Tenerife
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In December we flew out to Tenerife for a few weeks, to enjoy the warmer weather. Being retired now we have more time to travel and next September we have booked a 14 day Flotilla Cruise in the Greek Islands. The last time I did any sailing myself was over 40 years ago so I decide to take some lessons whilst we were in Tenerife.
Using the Internet I found Club Sail, who operate RYA approved couses from the new San Miguel Marina, which is close to the Airport South, and not far from where we were staying.
As I had already done some sailing and have over 22.000 miles on tall ships where I had picked up some navigation, I decided to enrol on the Day Skipper Practical Course; picking up some books on the course, I swotted up before starting.
The course takes 6 days where you live onboard, our boat was a Dufour 35 and there were 5 of us, two taking the Competent Crew, two taking the Day Skipper and Doug Carroll our Instructor. Doug is a very experienced yachtsman and has an easy manner of sharing his knowledge. It soon became obvious that I would have to work on my navigation and that I would have been better taking the shore course first.
During the course we sailed over to the island of La Gomera where we spent 2 nights in San Sebastian, separated by a night in Valle Gran Rey. The fact that we were visiting new places made the course plotting and the general sailing much more interesting. Doug had lived on La Gomera for 8 years, so he new all the best places to eat so we also enjoyed some gourmet meals.
The course was excellent and good value for money, thanks to Doug's patience I now have my Certificate.
If you wish to get any information on Club Sail who also do Charters and Cruises.
E.Mail: info@clubsail.com
Web Site; www.clubsail.com
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Cruising in Scotland or The Canaries,
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For anyone looking for an out of the ordinary Promotion or Holiday, perhaps this is what you have been looking for.
Based in Inveraray, Captain Klaus Muller has fine motorship to Cruise in Scotland in the Summer and the Canary Islands in Winter. Catering for up to 12 passengers, who are looked after by a crew of 9. The one week Cruises can either be from Captain Mullers programme, or can be tailored to suit your requirements. He will even pipe you aboard with his bagpipes.
For futher details see: www.fyne-cruises.com
or contact: Nadine.Ruts@fyne-cruises.com
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We have now put some of our holiday photos into the Yahoo ( United Kngdom and Ireland) Photo Album under Mikes Photos. They are open for all to see and include Motorcycle Tours and Cruises.
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